Now Now Now

Last year, I contacted Derek Sivers for his opinion on attending grad school (which he called “timid procrastination”). While I was vacillating, I agreed with his thinking. Later, I flipped my decision, in part, due to the exercise of creating a Now page, prompted by one of Derek’s posts.

I realized procrastinating was precisely what I was doing, and I needed greater focus. I also needed to complete a vision for myself.

I rarely sign up for email lists because I get far too much email as it is, but I signed up for Derek’s. There is no sales pitch in his writing. He puts his thoughts out, and it’s up to me how I night apply it to my own life.

In one email he announced a site he launched called Now Now Now, where each user can add a link to a page on their own site that tells what they are doing now. It’s not about what you did before. It’s not about making a sale. It’s about now, about being literal in your present day, and keeping focus. It’s quite like a self-referential touch point, because unlike common web pages, a Now page evolves with you and constantly reminds you what you want to be doing, which is really helpful if you are a creative entrepreneur, or even just really busy.

Creative people manifest new ideas with such frequency, they often have difficulty maintaining focus long enough to see an idea truly flourish.

If I allow myself to be pulled in ten directions, there is not enough of me to focus on succeeding in any one of those initiatives.

A Now page shares your focus with the world. It’s like having a list on your wall that tells you if what you are currently doing is helping your reach your goals.

My favorite Jack Handy quote is:
“I like to carry around two sacks, one in each hand. That way, if someone asks, “Can you give me a hand?” I can reply, no, sorry, got these sacks.” (I like because it’s funny, not because it’s how I think.)

It’s not that I won’t lend a hand when I can. In fact, I enjoy helping out. Occasionally, the initiatives for which people ask me to come on board are incompatible with I’m doing. Now, I can point them to my Now page.

With a Now page, you can state a goal, and when you reach it, replace it with a new one. It’s basically a public affirmation, a way to keep yourself current, and share what you’re into Now.

Kelly Hobkirk - teaching marketers how to harness strategy, goals, reality, and purpose to connect and do better work.

 

Kelly Hobkirk has been helping companies succeed in creative ways for nearly 25 years. His work has been featured in Time Magazine, and books by Rockport and Rotovision. Get exclusive articles when you sign up for his monthly newsletter.

Thank you! This is going to feel good.

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